Shoe fastening



Dec. 31, 1929. A. LOVE 1,741,640

SHOE FASTENING Filed Dec. 1, 1928 Patented Dec. 31, 1929 ANDRE? LOVE, OFPADDING'ION,

SOUTH TALES, AUSTRALIA SHOE FASTENING Application. filed December 1,1928, Serial No. 322,979, and in Australia January 3, 1928.

There have been devised many substitutes for the ordinary laces by whichshoes are usually adjusted and secured on the feet of the wearer,and-the object of this invention is to provide a fastener which can berapidly and easily adjusted and released, which is sufficiently elasticto allow for the expansion of the foot and thus avoid uncomfortablepressure on the instep, and which, when in use, presents a markedresemblance to ordinary lacing while avoiding the disadvantages thereof.

Fastening means according to this invention comprise a pair of lightstiff rods loosely hinged together at one end, one of them having nearits other end a catch to releasably engage the other rod, and both ofthem being terminally formed at the ends remote from the hinge toprovide finger grips whereby they are manipulated as hereinafterdescribed, and, in association with said rods, a plurality of loops ofrubber for engagement thereby and for threading through and anchoring inthe shoe eyelets as hereinafter described.

When the fastener is applied to a shoe, the rubber loops project throughthe eyelets on either side of the shoe opening being anchored on theinside thereof, one of the rods being threaded through the loops on eachside of the opening. To draw the edges of the opening together andfasten the shoe, the finger grips are grasped between the thumb and thefinger and the rods drawn together thus stretching the loops, while atthe same time the catch-carrying rod is slightly rotated to enable itscatch to pass under and engage the other. To release or unfasten theshoe. the catch-carrying rod is slightly rotated to free the catch andthe finger grips are then released so that under the tension of theloops the rods spring apart.

thin strip, so as to lie fiat against the inside according to thisinvention and in which- Fig. 1 shows the fastener applied to a shoe andwith the parts closed and fastened.

Fig. 2 showing the shoe with the parts unfastened.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing portion of the inside of one sideof the shoe front and the preferred means of anchoring the loops.

Fig. 4 shows the two rods complete;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showing two rings in position on oppositesides of the shoe opening;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing a modification of the method ofanchoring the rings, a single rin serving two adjacent eyelets.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, rubber loops A.A are threadedthrough the eyelets 13.13 of the shoe on each side of the opening andare secured on the inside by a flexible anchor bar C (Fig. 3) threadedthrough them, said bar being formed at its ends with palms D.D toprevent its longitudinal displacement. This anchor bar consists of acomparatively of the shoe front, and is preferably of rubber to avoid ahard excrescen'ce on the inside of the shoe.

Through the outwardly projecting portions of the loops A.A on one sideof the shoe-opening is threaded the rod E and through those on the otherside, the rod F. These rods are clearly shown in Fig. 4E, and are formedrespectively at one end to constitute the elements of a hook-and-eyehinge G. This constitutes a loose connection of which the elements arepreferably separable to facilitate the threading of the rods through theloops. At its other end the rod E is bent or shaped to form a fingergrip H, the extreme end being upturned to form a catch J. Thecorresponding end of rod F is also bent or shaped to form a finger gripK. These parts are so formed that as the finger grips are moved towardseach other with a slight lifting of grip K and a slight turning of gripH (and rod E) to depress catch J, the latter Will pass under rod F sothat when the grips are released the catch engages rod F as shown (inFig 1,) the parts being retained in this position by the tension of theloops. To release the parts, the grip H is manipulated to again depresscatch J against the natural resilience of the foot of the wearer, torelease it from rod F, whereupon the rods spring apart and the shoe isunfastened. It will be noted that the catch J is on that side of rod Ewhich is nearer to rod F and that its heel bears upon the surface oftheshoe upper, so that the normal tension or pull exerted by the rubberloops does not result in depressing the catch and releasing it from itsengagement with rod F; to do this it is necessary to apply liftingpressure to that end of grip H on the side of the rod E remote from therod F.

Referring to Fig. 6, one rubber loop A is shown threaded through twoadjacent eyelets, that portion A of the loop extending, on the inside ofthe shoe, between said eyelets constituting the anchoring means.

lVhen a shoe has been secured on the foot of the wearer by the meansherein described, the elasticity of the rubber rings, allows aconsiderable expansion of the shoe-front during walking, running ordancing, thus materially adding to the comfort of the wearer.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.. Shoefastening means, comprising a pair of metal rods hinged together at oneend and equipped with means for mutually and releasably engaging theirother ends, and a plurality of elastic members for connecting one ofsaid rods to eyelets in one side of a shoe front, and the other rod toeyelets in the other side of a shoe front.

2. Shoe fastening means, comprising a I pair of metal rods hingedtogether at one end and equipped with means for mutually and releasablyengaging their other ends, and a plurality of rubber loops forconnecting one of said rods to eyelets in one side of a shoe front, andthe other rod to eyelets in the other side of a shoe front.

3. Shoe fastening means according to claim 1, including means foranchoring the elastic members respectively in the eyelets of a shoefront.

l. Shoe fastening means according to claim 1, in whichone rod, at theend remote from the hinge, carries a catch member to releasably engagethe other rod.

5. Shoe fastening means according to claim 1, further characterized inthat each rod at the end remote from the hinge is formed to constitute afinger grip for facilitating manipulation.

6. Shoe fastening means, comprising a pair of metal rods loosely hingedtogether at one of July, A. D. 1928.

ANDREW LOVE.

